JioStar Confirms IPL 2026 Sponsors 6 Digital & 5 TV Brands Already On Board
JioStar has officially locked sponsors for both its digital and TV broadcast of IPL 2026 and the lineup includes some of India’s biggest brands across paints, tyres, mobility, and e-commerce.
IPL 2026 kicks off on March 28 in Bengaluru and runs till May 31, and the advertising battle is already heating up well before the first ball is bowled. Check the IPL 2026 match schedule to plan your viewing around these high-intensity broadcast windows.

JioStar IPL 2026 Sponsors – Full List
Here’s the confirmed sponsor breakdown across platforms:
| Platform | Sponsorship Type | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Co-Powered-By | Birla Opus |
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Associate Sponsor | Rapido |
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Associate Sponsor | AMFI |
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Associate Sponsor | Amazon |
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Associate Sponsor | Vimal |
| JioHotstar (Digital) | Associate Sponsor | MRF |
| Star Sports (TV) | Co-Powered-By | TBD (not finalised yet) |
| Star Sports (TV) | Associate Sponsor | Rapido |
| Star Sports (TV) | Associate Sponsor | AMFI |
| Star Sports (TV) | Associate Sponsor | Vimal |
| Star Sports (TV) | Associate Sponsor | Asian Paints |
| Star Sports (TV) | Associate Sponsor | Hero MotoCorp |
One thing stands out immediately JioStar is yet to confirm a co-powered-by sponsor for the TV broadcast, which is typically the most premium slot. Expect that announcement soon as the March 28 start approaches.
Why These Brand Choices Make Sense
Each brand on this list has a clear strategic reason for being here this isn’t random spending. IPL is one of the most powerful advertising platforms in India, and the brands that show up know exactly what they’re doing.
Birla Opus vs Asian Paints The Paint War Begins
This is the headline rivalry of IPL 2026 ad season. Birla Opus, which is relatively newer in the market, has grabbed the premium digital co-powered-by slot on JioHotstar. Meanwhile, Asian Paints the long-established market leader is present as an associate sponsor on TV. Both are fighting for the same audience, and IPL gives them a massive battleground. The paint category war during IPL 2026 is going to be worth watching off the pitch.
Rapido – New Identity, Big Stage
Rapido recently rebranded from a bike taxi app to a broader multi-modal mobility platform. IPL is exactly the kind of high-reach stage they need to push that new positioning to 300+ million viewers. Being present on both digital and TV makes their spend even more aggressive.
MRF – Cricket Is Home Territory
MRF Tyres has always understood cricket marketing better than most. They recently signed Shubman Gill as brand ambassador, and their IPL 2026 association on digital only deepens that cricket-first strategy. Given how many fans will watch the IPL 2026 squads and star players this season, MRF’s placement makes total sense.
Hero MotoCorp – Mass Reach With Premium Ambition
Hero is one of India’s most universally recognised brands, with deep roots in both urban and rural markets. But they’re also pushing their premium EV brand VIDA now, and IPL gives them the scale to build recall for both. TV sponsorship fits their broad demographic reach perfectly.
AMFI – Investor Education at Scale
The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) runs the well-known “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai” campaign. IPL is their biggest annual platform to drive awareness around investing and with first-time investors growing rapidly in India, their presence on both TV and digital makes complete strategic sense.
Amazon – Fighting for Eyeballs
Amazon’s IPL association is a direct response to increasing competition in the Indian e-commerce space. With Meesho, Flipkart, and quick commerce apps all competing hard, Amazon needs mass reach. IPL delivers that in a way very few platforms can match.
Digital vs TV – Where the Real Battle Is
JioStar holds the IPL media rights from 2023 to 2027, covering both JioHotstar (digital) and Star Sports (TV). The interesting shift this year is the premium positioning on digital Birla Opus taking the top digital slot signals that brands are now treating streaming audiences as the primary target, not secondary.
| Metric | TV (Star Sports) | Digital (JioHotstar) |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Powered-By Sponsor | Not confirmed yet | Birla Opus |
| Associate Sponsors | 4 confirmed | 5 confirmed |
| Key Differentiator | Mass rural + urban reach | Young, urban, premium audience |
| Ad Rate (10 sec, Final) | Rs 50 lakh (base rate) | 25% higher CTV rates vs 2025 |
JioStar has already hiked Connected TV (CTV) ad rates by 25% for IPL 2026 compared to last year a clear sign of where the growth is happening.
How Big Was IPL 2025 Advertising?
To put IPL 2026’s early sponsor momentum in context last year, over 425 brands partnered with JioStar for IPL 2025, including 270 first-time advertisers across 40 categories. That’s a staggering number and shows why JioStar is one of the most sought-after advertising vehicles in Indian media.
Some of the big names from 2025 included Dream11, PhonePe, Google Search, SBI, Thums Up, Amul, TVS, and Joy Cosmetics. The 2026 list is already shaping up to be just as competitive and there are still weeks left before the tournament begins.
Keep up with all the action on and off the field through the latest IPL 2026 news and updates as sponsor and match announcements keep rolling in.
What This Means for IPL 2026 Viewers
From a fan perspective, more brand investment means better production quality, more regional language feeds, and deeper digital coverage. JioStar spent heavily on IPL 2025 delivery and 2026 looks set to go even bigger especially on CTV and mobile streaming.
If you’re planning to catch every match live, check out the IPL 2026 live streaming guide to know exactly where and how to watch without missing a ball.
FAQs
Who are the official sponsors of IPL 2026 on JioHotstar? Birla Opus is the co-powered-by sponsor on JioHotstar. Associate sponsors are Rapido, AMFI, Amazon, Vimal, and MRF.
Who are the TV sponsors for IPL 2026 on Star Sports? Star Sports associate sponsors confirmed so far are Rapido, AMFI, Vimal, Asian Paints, and Hero MotoCorp. The co-powered-by TV slot is still not finalised.
Why is Birla Opus sponsoring IPL 2026 digitally while Asian Paints is on TV? Both brands are competing in the paints category and have chosen different platforms. Birla Opus took the premium digital slot targeting urban viewers, while Asian Paints is on TV for broader mass reach.
How much does a 10-second ad cost during IPL 2026? The base live TV ad rate is Rs 50 lakh per 10 seconds for the final. JioStar has also hiked CTV ad rates by 25% compared to IPL 2025.
How many brands advertised during IPL 2025? Over 425 brands partnered with JioStar for IPL 2025, including 270 first-time advertisers across 40 product and service categories.
When does IPL 2026 start and end? IPL 2026 starts on March 28, 2026 in Bengaluru and the final is scheduled for May 31, 2026.







